I Hope You Dance
by Chelsea Oz
Summary: This story begins with Georg's feelings about his present life. This takes place right after the party and it's an AU because Maria is still there when he wakes up in the morning! I hope you enjoy. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

I really don't care for parties, truth be told. I never cared to be the center of attention and I hate to be phony. That's all one ends up being at a party anyway is phony. A man puts on his best suit while the woman puts on her best dress and by that I mean the tightest, most flashy piece of material that she could find. I would have enjoyed the women way more if it weren't for Elsa on my arm. Then there's the small talk which ultimately leads to politics. I've seen enough years to know that politics will somehow play a role in every group discussion whether or not there is a war at stake. I am waiting for this one with the Nazi's to happen and it's going to hurt; I can't help but feel hurt by the people that are joining in on that sadistic bandwagon of a government Germany has developed for itself. It may be my rightful fear or the fact that I'm getting to be an old man or both but I just can't pretend with those people. The guests could really love me or hate me, I really just did it for Elsa last night.

Well, I guess that's not fair to say; my children encouraged me along with Elsa to throw the bash. How could I deny my baby Gretl her first party? She looked like such a little doll in her dress and so did my other girls. I was so proud to see my sons in their suits, looking like young men. I have seven beautiful children, aren't I so lucky? When I saw them sing their goodnight song, I could have burst with pride and I hope they noticed. Dear children, your father loves you all very much and I hope you all forgive me for being so cold all those years. My pain caused your pain and I can only pray that with time we will all heal together.

Whenever I burst at pride for my children, I look at Maria. For as long as I live I will never be able to repay her for the miracle of her presence. She is a divine woman and she doesn't even know it. She was the "bad" nun at the Abbey but I can honestly say that if she's wrong, I hope no one ever rights her. What scares me about her? She makes me feel things about her that I could never feel about Elsa. Maria is the sun and Elsa is the moon, one couldn't ask for two women more different. Is it possible to love two women at once?

It's only four o'clock in the morning but the damn party has had my mind reeling. I can't sleep so I decide to go downstairs for a little walk to calm down. I make sure I'm quiet because I don't want to wake anyone up. As I reach the bottom of the steps, I hear footsteps that aren't my own. I make a silent dash to where I hear them and realize I'm going to the ballroom. I want to gasp when I find Maria dancing with herself around the room, almost like when I saw her for the first time. I soon realize that she is repeating _The Landler Waltz_ steps that we'd just a short time ago. I have to get out of here before she recognizes me. She looks so content with herself that I don't want to disturb the mood. I make my way to the kitchen in no time to get a glass of water. There would be nobody around and it was out of earshot from the ballroom, perfect!

"Oh, Maria," I say to myself gleefully into my cup. "For the rest of your life, I hope you dance."

Maybe in some small way I did repay her after all?


	2. I'm On Fire (Maria)

Maria

I was never a party girl. It's not that I don't like the excitement of them and watching the people enjoy themselves, that's the best part about them! I just don't particularly feel all that comfortable around people I don't know and having to offer small talk is a killer. I am not one for it at all and I feel I only come up looking like a fool every time. It seems I am the kind of person that in a social setting will stick with only the ones she knows and has a deep connection with. That was why I was mostly with the children this past night or I was off by myself, trying to stay out of everyone's way.

In true fashion, I ended up getting in my own way. I had walked back into the courtyard only to find Friedrich and Liesel dancing with each other. I thought that was so sweet to see a brother and a sister dancing like that. I'm happy the children have had each other all these years and how I wish I had a sibling or two when life got horrible. I couldn't help but speak up about how great they looked to me while they were dancing. That was when Kurt stepped up with a joke and made everybody laugh. I love Kurt; he has such a beautiful soul to match his beautiful face. I wish not only for Kurt but for all of them that life is never so unkind to them that they lose their sweetness. I guess it almost happened once.

The Landler Waltz blared through the house and into the outdoors. Kurt wondered out loud what kind of dance it was and I told him. That was when he asked me to dance. Oh, the horror I felt! He begged me anyway and sure enough I was up there with Kurt, butchering the dance with every step I took. The Captain noticed our awkward situation and told Kurt that he would take over.

 _"What is he doing?"_

That's what I thought to myself. I didn't have much time to react it seems as he swept me away and I mean _swept_ me away. It all had come back to me and I have never felt so alive than I was during those few minutes. Then I had the urge to just stop because I figure I couldn't take it all in. Brigitta noticed my blushed cheeks and then to add to my horror, Baroness Schraeder noticed everything. I could have died, maybe I did die those few minutes? It seems grace had overcome me.

I went to sleep with the children after they sang their song. What was I thinking? There was no way I could sleep after that. Something inside me stirred and made me feel so...good. I don't even know what I'm still feeling. Like my soul is on fire, that's the only way I could describe it. I get out of bed and creep down the stairs once I feel I am in the clear. I had to get this energy out of me and I felt the only way I could was to do the dance over again. I didn't care if I had to do it by myself. I spinned, I twirled and with the image of Georg still leading me, I floated.

I did see you, Georg. I will never let you know that but I did see you taking a peek at me. I hope you enjoyed the view. I actually had to hold back my laughter as you skidded away into another room. You looked like such a little boy, so charming. Thing is though, I heard someone else laughing and it wasn't you. I know that little boy's laugh and I could only imagine what he's thinking or even what he'll say...


	3. She's Got A Way (Kurt)

Kurt

I haven't been to a party since God knows when. It was strange having all these people at my house looking all fancy and such. It honestly made me very nervous and made me want chocolate. There was a big assortment of candies at the table but I looked at them and back to myself, feeling chubby in my evening formal suit. I really should stop eating like I do; whenever I feel anything I go straight for my food. Sad, happy, angry, confused, it doesn't matter and I always feel hungry. The worst thing about my weight? I've actually lost weight in recent years. My appetite was ferocious when Mother died and I felt I just couldn't stop. When Father hired the new cook, I could tell he ordered her to portion control my food. Even my baby sister Gretl had more to eat than I did some nights. Nobody knows this but I took the spare kitchen key that everybody assumes is lost. I go in there some nights and steal a little something to eat. I know I got a problem.

Food aside, I thought Maria was the best thing about tonight. I always thought she was a beautiful lady but I thought even more so tonight. I don't think I love her, I mean I do, but not the way Father loves Baroness Schraeder. I have never felt so close to a woman since Mother passed away. When she came into my life, I just had a feeling she was different. She was from Nonneberg Abbey, she was the nun I guess they wanted to get rid of. I don't know why they wouldn't want her though because I knew she was some kind of wonderful. I was torn though; I wanted her to realize how much I wanted her to stick around but at the same time I knew she probably wouldn't want to stay because none of the others did. It was never anything really personal with our past governess'; all we wanted was to see if anyone could get past our shenanigans and see us for who we were. Maria was the only one that could and I must mean only because Father was beginning to run out of options by the time she showed up.

I really didn't know what I was doing when I asked Maria to dance with me. I guess I just needed her in that moment. We definitely weren't winning any dance awards but something happened to her when Father took my place. I can't explain it but something took over her and she ended up dancing so wonderfully that my jaw was on the floor. I looked back and forth between her and Father and marveled at how great they looked together. Than it hit me; could it be love? Did that take her over? Is that why Father wanted my spot? I began daydreaming about how great it would be if Maria became Father's lover instead of Baroness Schraeder. Baroness Schraeder does nothing for me. I hated her when she came out to comment on their dance.

 _"This is not about you,"_ I thought. _"Go away!"_

Good thing I didn't have to stick around her very long and I ran with my brother and sisters to get ready for our goodbye number. It was a cute song that Maria taught us especially for tonight. I could tell the party guests loved watching it as much as we loved doing it. It was over all too quickly and we had to go to bed. No way was I sleeping all that easy tonight. I kept waking up to a rumble in my tummy and I finally got ready to make a late night snack run. I hope there are still some chocolates left. Thank God Fredrich is a sound sleeper. I get to the kitchen in no time flat and sure enough, there's some chocolate waiting for me. I pop a caramel chocolate in my mouth and I'm in heaven in my mind. I then take a chocolate coconut piece and...

I hear someone coming! Oh no! I quickly dash into the pantry to hide. Oh God, after all these years they are going to find me tonight! I hold my breath as I hear footsteps go into the icebox and I hear my father chuckle; I could recognize his chuckle anywhere. As I hear him pour himself something to drink, I hear him say something about Maria. It was about how he wished she would never stop dancing. I could have died when he said that. What would have happened tonight had I not asked her to dance with me? As he walked out of the room, I realized that I must have started something. I laugh out loud with all the goopy junk in my mouth at the thought of that. Don't worry, Father, I may not know exactly what you're talking about, but your conversation with yourself about Maria is safe with me!


End file.
